Bittersweet
by Aqua-Sakuras
Summary: Inuyasha is a soccer star that overcame the shamed status of hanyou. Kagome is a doctor who just discovered she can't save everyone. When an accident brings the two together, they find that all good things come with a price, but some are worth it. InuKag. MiroSan. SessRin. Told in drabbles. AU
1. Emergency

Disclaimer: I own nothing….

Chapter 1

Kagome was enjoying a steaming cup of coffee and staring into the stars with pink mittens and a snowflake patterned hand knit snow hat. She had always wanted to be an astronomer. Suddenly, her peaceful moment was shattered by the shrieking of a telephone. She debated for a moment whether or not to head over, but eventually meandered her way over to the counter.

"Hello?" She drawled, moving aside a biology book to make space for her elbow. The tense, grim voice of her friend, Sango, filled the line.

"Kagome? We need you down here."

"Eh? I thought it's my day off. Shouldn't Eri and Ayumi be there with you?"

"They were," Kagome could almost see her friend roll her eyes in exasperation, "the first sight of blood and Eri fainted. That girl, I swear…" The trainee nurses were talkative and bright, but a bit too frolicsome, flirting and chatting at every turn. A real emergency should show them….emergency?

"What happened, Sango?"

"Crash. Drunk driving. The usual, except this guy managed to hit four cars, including a minivan. Three of the cars were minimally scratched, but the minivan had some soccer team. All the people inside crashed into each other and, well, you know."  
Kagome did know, though she wished she didn't.

"I'll be right down there."

Word Count: 224


	2. Wistfulness

Chapter 2

Inuyasha fingered his new medal as his teammates around him drank and cheered in the closed minivan. Inuyasha moved away from Miroku, who was now engaging the team in "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall." His mind turned back to the medal; there was just something about the carving that was so intricate and beautiful.

_Like her_, his mind whispered traitorously. He shook his head violently. No, she was in his past; she was an old memory that doesn't fit in this exciting new life of his. Still, he couldn't help but wonder how his life would be if they had kept their promises…..

At 10:39 PM, Inuyasha Takahashi blacked out with a name frozen on his lips. _Kikyo_.

Word count: 120


	3. Discovery

Chapter 3

Kagome sped up the floors of the hospital, while hastily tying her rich ebony hair into a ponytail. Breathless, she managed to find the room filled with the patients that haven't been helped yet. She slid into a pale green gown and snapped on fresh latex gloves then turned to assess the scene before her.

Sango was in the middle of a surgery with a man that had both too much to drink and slammed his head onto the dashboard. The nurses had giggled a bit when talking about the man, who was still in critical condition. Something about "charming" and "flirty," though Kagome doubted how much a man who was an inch away from dying could have remained a womanizer.

Coming back to attention, Kagome smiled at the nurse who handed her the clipboard with her patient, who was not in critical condition but still hurt badly by a broken wine bottle that cut into his sides. _Takahashi Inuyasha_, she mused, what a strange name.

When she arrived at the room, she was startled and amazed to find a man that had a beautiful mass of glimmering silver hair. When she childishly reached to touch it quickly before examining him, she was awed by a great discovery. _OMG, _her inner self screamed, _Doggie ears!_

Word Count: 215

A/N: Why is it so much easier to write about Kagome? Oh well, two updates today 'cause the last chapter was really short. Review!


	4. Waking

Chapter 4

Inuyasha woke to the beeping of machines and an angel. So this is it, huh?Looks like being dead wouldn't be all that bad after all. Inuyasha blinked rapidly and saw the angel more clearly. Her cheeks were flushed a lovely pink and she looked flustered (which _she_ never was), but other than that, this was Kikyo.

"Kikyo," he breathed.

Kikyo's face scrunched up in a totally un-Kikyo way; her eyebrows knitted together and her lips gathered in a pouty frown. Inuyasha curiously sniffed her, because either Kikyo had really changed or….

Inuyasha's face contorted in anger and suspicion. "Who the hell are you?"

Word Count: 104


	5. Anger

Chapter 5

Kagome started in surprise. She had been thinking frantically of a way to excuse her being on his bed when he had looked at her with awe and called her a strange name, "Kikyo." She hadn't been sure what to say, but then the man growled and demanded to know who she was.

Wow, bi-polar much? Kagome felt herself getting angrier. Yeah, she was the one who got called in especially because of the stupidity of people like him (Kagome conveniently forgot that it was the drunk driver's fault). She was perfectly happy stargazing, but she kindly and gratuitously came in to care for him. And now he _yells_ at her? Kagome thought she saw the man shrink a little under her furious gaze, but he puffed his chest up almost immediately afterwards.

"Who am I?" She growled, "I am the one who came in _on her vacation_ to take care of your stupid…." Her voice trailed off into expletives and her glare pierced him down. He tried to stare her down but eventually gave up, throwing his head to the side carelessly.

Kagome walked huffily over to the attending nurse, a tiny, cheerful girl named Rin and demanded to be switched to another patient. Rin smiled charmingly and reassuringly, but her next words made Kagome feel anything but.

"Ah, sorry, Kagome-san, due to hospital regulations, a doctor can't switch patients until the patient is fully recovered. I thought you knew that?"

Word Count: 242


	6. Distraction

Chapter 6

Inuyasha felt dazed. After being told that he had been in a car accident by a nurse, things were starting to make a lot more sense. Well, most things. He still couldn't understand that crazy Kikyo-lookalike.

After screaming and cursing at him and then staring him down, she stormed out of the room then came back with a sour face. She asked him questions about his physical state in a cold monotone that frankly scared him even more than the shouting. He'd tried best to keep his voice from trembling too much, but he was pretty sure that she wasn't looking anyways; she was too busy staring a hole into the wall.

Though Inuyasha was plenty pissed at the erratic girl, he couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for the one person that treated him the same way she treated everyone else (albeit angrier). She ignored the fact that he was a famous soccer star, she didn't care that he was hanyou; she wasn't afraid, she wasn't awed. The only other person to even come close was…..

Inuyasha's throat tightened. No matter where his thoughts went, they seemed to always circle back to the same person. _Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo! Why can't I get her out of my head?_

Just then, Inuyasha smelled Kagome coming closer. He smiled; he knew how it would go: she would sweep into the room and crisply ask to see his wounds. He would smirk as he lifted his shirt, showing her the amazing regeneration abilities of hanyou. As his thoughts drifted to thinking of ways to make Kagome turn a more interesting shade of pink, he completely failed to realize that for once, his thought stayed clear of Kikyo as they centered on the most interesting person in his life right now: Kagome.

Word Count: 299


	7. Chatting

Chapter 7

Sango slammed her coffee down slightly too hard when Kagome asked about her newest patient.

Kagome began to grow worried when Sango's face turned red, purple, and then the paleness of barely constrained anger. Sango gave an obviously forced smile and told Kagome that, "It was fine," through clenched teeth. Kagome noticed how tightly Sango clutched the handle of the cheap coffee mug. If this one broke too, it would be the 5th one this month; before, it was only 5 a year.

To Kagome's relief, the light bell that sounded whenever a patient wanted to see a doctor rang then. Kagome leapt out of her seat slightly too quickly with a bright, hopeful smile.

"Which patient is it?" Kagome asked the attending nurse eagerly.

Rin smiled knowingly, "It's your favorite one, Kagome-san."

Kagome blushed and Sango stared.

When had that started? What happed to "no preferences?" Sango immediately thought of Miroku's lecherous grin and sighed. Incorrigible perverts like him were why rules were created. Unfortunately, horrible personality traits weren't an excuse to turn a patient out. Sango shook thoughts of the stupid man out of her head just in time to wave goodbye to Kagome.

"Have fun!" She called, and watched Kagome turn pink again. Sango grinned mischievously. Well, she could have fun with this.

Word Count: 213


	8. Window

Chapter 8

Kikyo idly fingered a stray ringlet of her hair. It had been 4 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days since she broke things off with Inuyasha. Not that she was counting.

She curled up into a smaller ball and watched mutely as snowflakes drifted lazily down. Kikyo wrapped her red blanket closer to herself unconsciously as she thought wistfully of the days that she and Inuyasha would play in the snow. Well, Inuyasha would play and she would watch fondly. Her lips curled into a mockery of that happy smile just from remembering.

"Kikyo."

Kikyo tensed as her name was called by the wrong person. No, not just called, caressed and molested and _dontsayitlikeyouknowme_– Kikyo shut her eyes in pain, "What do you want?"

"Why, can't I stop by to visit my dearest wife?" Naraku bared his teeth in an animal-like grin, "Hmm, Kikyo?"

Word Count: 144

A/N: So yeah, I'm going to try to fit all the canon characters into my plot, which is slowly unfolding. Review, review, wink wink. A special shoutout to bee1313, who has been a reviewer extraordinaire. Love you!


	9. Nightmares

Chapter 9

Kagome remembered that day. It's hard not to when she has nightmares about it every night.

The first patient she lost.

It had been during her third year of being a doctor. She remembered the mother, frantic but composed, trying to look strong. Kagome could see the fault lines all too clearly. And the son. The son, who had collapsed on her with pleas of "saving his daddy, please please please." And their reactions afterwards.

The mother was almost empty, but she filled herself up again with taking care of her son and her daughter. The mother could still smile, but the son couldn't. He had pounced on her.

"You're a doctor, aren't you?" He had shrieked, "Why couldn't you save my dad?" His voice broke on the word, "dad," and he dissolved into gasping sobs.

The worst thing to happen to a child was to lose a parent. Kagome would know.

It had been her dad too.

Word Count: 158


	10. Collapse

Chapter 10

A/N: Beware Inuyasha's foul mouth… If it offends you, please tell me in a review and I'll replace them with asterisks.

When Inuyasha saw Kagome walk in his room, haggard and exhausted, he did a double take. Where was the feisty girl that yelled at him so passionately? She certainly didn't have deep bags under her eyes and the haunted look that this girl was giving him. Inuyasha's prepared smirk fell off and he started to panic.

If there's one thing he was bad at dealing with, it was tears, but the second worst would be defeat. _Inuyasha_ doesn't loose. He can't allow all those damn bastards to win!

Beyond pissed off, Inuyasha grabbed the shoulders of the girl and snarled. "What in hell is your problem?"

Kagome looked at him with a sort of sadness that mirrored his own. She saw it too. She collapsed on his chest. "I just can't do this anymore!" She sobbed.

Wordless, Inuyasha did something he hadn't done in a long time: nothing.

Word Count: 148


	11. Mortification

Chapter 11

The next morning, Kagome was mortified.

After taking the pills for her PTSD and actually having a good night's sleep, she realized with slow horror what she had done. She had _cried_. On a _man's_ shoulder. And it was _Inuyasha. _"Kill me now," She groaned.

Honestly though, his reaction surprised her more than anything else. He had simply let her cry herself to sleep on his shoulder. He hadn't been rash, rude, or patronizing – the adjectives that she had associated with him initially.

Kagome jumped at least a foot when a hand clasped her shoulder from the back.

"Whoa there, Kagome. You alright?"

Kagome turned and was relieved to find that it was only Sango. _Only? _She berated herself mentally, _Since when was your best friend "only?"_ She shrugged on a smile, "I'm fine."

"And Inuyasha?"

Kagome froze, cheeks flaming. "Yeah, uh, he's fine." She stuttered out, "Um, I need to go. See you, Sango."

Sango grabbed Kagome's arm, "Kagome, are we still on for Sunday coffee?"

"Uh, yeah, of course." Kagome squirmed under her friend's sharp eyes.

"I said I would bring someone, remember. Are you really ready?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Kagome tried (rather unsuccessfully) to put all thoughts of the hanyou out of her mind and put on her brightest smile. "Tomorrow, 7 pm sharp. Got it."

Sango blinked as Kagome sped away. "Kagome!" She called out after her, "Today's Friday!"

Word Count: 236


	12. Coffee

Chapter 12

"Why, thank you for agreeing to meet my today, Kagome-san."

Kagome forced on a smile while trying to send glares towards Sango out of the corner of her eye. When Sango had said "someone," Kagome had assumed that it was a colleague or relative. The man standing in front of her dressed in a tuxedo was certainly nothing of the sort.

While sitting down, Kagome noticed uncomfortably that the coffee shop Sango picked this time was extremely fancy. The atmosphere was serene, and the whole place was covered with glittering chandeliers and good-looking waiters in matching black vests.

Ever since they had begun doing Sunday coffee, it was agreed silently that the places were going to be places to relax and chat. Kagome stuck to the two coffee houses that she knew best: Wolf's Coffee house and VOM Coffee (supposedly, VOM were someone's initials, no one knew who though). Both were small, homely, and had a warm bustling aura that put Kagome at ease every time. However, when it was Sango's turn to choose, she would try out all the new places. If there were no new coffee houses around, she would pick the one that they went to the least. Those were also the ones that Kagome despised most. _Why, Sango?_ She didn't even want to get started on the guy Sango was trying to set her up with this time.

Kagome broke out of her internal monologue when a smooth and velvety voice interrupted.

"What will you order be?"

Kagome read the small name plate pinned onto the waiter's shirt. _Sesshomaru Taisho: Manager_. She looked up only to gasp as her eyes met another pair of golden eyes.

Word Count: 280

A/N: More people start showing up! The plot will move along faster after I get all the characters in . Please review! Thank you for reading.


	13. Stares

Chapter 13

Kagome almost choked on her coffee again.

"I said," Sango repeated impatiently, "Do you think that hot manager likes you?"

"Sango! He's a demon!"

"So? That doesn't change the fact that he's hot and single."

"How do you know he's single?"

"I just do."

Kagome groaned at the inadequate response. Ever since the Hojo guy left, Sango picked up on the strange looks that the admittedly good-looking manager was giving to their table. Forget table, the guy just seemed to have his eyes pinned on Kagome. Kagome shivered again as she felt a pair of eyes staring at her back. Honestly, it was starting to get a little creepy.

"He's looking again!" Sango tittered.

"Please!" Kagome rolled her eyes, why her? She risked a glance back at Sesshomaru, who was staring straight back at her. She really couldn't help the little wave of heat that hit her every time she saw him. Silver hair, golden eyes. She sighed, though it was another pair of ears that she really wanted to see.

Word Count: 171


	14. Talk

Chapter 14

"Miss, may I speak to you aside?"

Finally, it came. Sesshomaru had tapped gently on Kagome's shoulder, making her stiffen. His quiet voice was alluring and dangerous, and Kagome could not but wonder if it was part of the gifts that demons were given. They were made to be the predators of humans after all. Kagome excused herself to Sango, gesturing to the demon beside her.

Sango winked gaudily, "Go get him, girl!"

Kagome winced.

Once they were aside in a small alcove complete with chairs next to the bathrooms, Sesshomaru started with a rather hurried explanation. "Miss, I assure you that I have no romantic interest in you. Not that I find you unattractive, it's just that…"

Kagome smiled and relaxed. Seeing an all-powerful demon flounder for words made her feel so much better. Giggling, she assured him that she wasn't looking for a partner right now either and that he really hadn't offended her.

After composing himself and clearing his throat several times, Sesshomaru finally set his deep golden eyes on her and got to the point.

"Miss, why do you have my missing brother's scent on you?"

Word Count: 190


	15. Demands

Chapter 15

"Missing, what do you mean?" Kagome was bewildered, "And is your brother Inuyasha? Silver hair, gold eyes, doggie ears"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, "Yes, it is he, though he is not worthy to be called my brother. He disappeared on the advent of his 21st birthday and has been missing ever since."

"Oh dear," breathed Kagome.

"Do you know of his location?"

"Um, our hospital has a strict privacy code…"

"So he is at your hospital. Where is it?"

"No, um, ack!" Kagome looked frantically for a way to escape the situation. Her eyes lit up when she spotted Sango, who was still sipping her coffee. "I need to check with my friend first."

Sesshomaru nodded his consent with an aristocratic flair.

Kagome crept over to Sango's table and smiled weakly, "Help me!"

Word Count: 132

A/N: I know that Inuyasha is a famous soccer star, there are…reasons why Sesshomaru doesn't know, read on to find out! *wink, wink*


	16. Disconnected

Chapter 16

"With what?" Sango blinked.

"The manager is actually Inuyasha's brother and he's trying to find him because he went missing a couple years ago and he's talking to me because I apparently smell like him and the hospital has that annoying privacy policy and I really can't tell him and he seems kind of scary too and oh, Sango, what in the world am I supposed to do?" Kagome said all this in one breath, collapsing once she finished.

"Wait, let me get this straight," Sango, ever sensible, started laying out all the fact, "The manager is actually Inuyasha's brother. Even though they have different last names and one's a hanyou while the other is full youkai."

"Um, yeah."

"He's looking for Inuyasha, and he's asking you because you have his scent on you."

"Yes."

"And the only reason he's doing this is because Inuyasha went missing a few years ago?"

"Yeah," beamed Kagome.

"Kagome," Sango looked confused, "How could the manager not have known where Inuyasha was?"

"Eh?"

"After all, Inuyasha is the biggest soccer star in mainland China right now. The "Shard Hunters" have been the reigning champions for, oh, the last five years, and the one who led them to that fame was Inuyasha."

"Oh…WHAT?"

Word Count: 208


	17. Scapegoat

Chapter 17

Kagome stood up in surprise, causing the neighboring tables to look up. She sat back down quickly, turning a brilliant shade of scarlet. "Why didn't I ever hear of this?" hissed Kagome.

"Well, maybe it has to do with you refusing to watch the sports channel."

"Umm…"

"And refusing to read magazines, and never watching the news, and basically being a reclusive hermit."

"Oh, uh, haha." Kagome laughed sheepishly. Everything Sango said was basically true. Kagome had thrown herself into her work ever since that death. If only she had studied harder, then perhaps…..

"Why has this Sesshomaru never heard of this?" A low voice spoke up from behind Kagome, causing her to jump again.

"Wha- Sesshomaru? Have you been listening this whole time?"

"Demon hearing," whispered Sango over, forgetting that Sesshomaru could hear her anyways.

Sesshomaru ignored the exchange and demanded again in the strange third person way of speaking to know why he was not informed of this.

"Well," Sango considered, "Do you ever watch TV?"

"This Sesshomaru does not indulge in practices that are beneath him."

"Read newspapers?"

Sesshomaru pointed his nose in the air, "My sources are far more accurate."

"Apparently not," Sango smirked.

Sesshomaru's face turned almost murderous before settling into a petulant frown. He swiped out a sleek silver iPhone and started talking in a monotone. "Jaken, I need to speak to you. Now."

Word Count: 230


	18. Retainer

Chapter 18

"Um, who exactly are we waiting for?" Kagome asked tentatively a few minutes after the silver haired manager closed the phone with an audible snap.

"You'll know when you see him," Sesshomaru responded wryly, "He stands out in a crowd." Then he seemed to remember that this woman was the cause of his current headache and pressed him lips into a thin line.

Almost immediately after, a small, green, toad-like creature stumbled into the room. "Sesshomaru-sama!" it/him/her squeaked, running up to pounce on Sesshomaru. "At last, after an eternity apart, I am able to gaze upon the beautiful face of my lord again. My lord, I –" The little green creature's monologue was interrupted by Sesshomaru's boot smashing into its already scrunched up face.

"You are late, Jaken."

"My lord," he yelped out of the corner of his mouth that was not stuck on the boot, "I was upheld by traffic."

"Traffic?" Sesshomaru's voice was eerily calm, "Come with me, Jaken."

"Oh dear," breathed Kagome, "What was that?"

Word Count: 168


	19. Dark Side

Chapter 19

Naraku chuckled sinisterly. His plan was materializing even more smoothly than he had anticipated.

The hanyou had been injured enough to be out of action for a while, or so his sources informed him. He frowned; that source was starting to entertain some dangerous thoughts. Sooner or later, he would need to replace that.

The monk was also injured. He was slightly sharper than the hanyou, but his weakness allowed Naraku to successfully plant the driver. The "driver" had been a simple puppet, discarded now, with no one the wiser.

And Kikyo. He smirked; Kikyo was going to be conquered by him. At first, she had just been an extra prize on the side, but now Naraku was realizing that if he played his cards right, she could be an extremely valuable asset.

All he needed now was to deal with the youkai brother. He laughed maniacally. So close.

_I really don't mean to sound cliché, but this world shall soon be mine._

Naraku sighed. There was really no way to say it without sounding cliché.

Word Count: 176


	20. Sympathy

Chapter 20

Kagome gulped.

Sesshomaru had led Jaken (who she now assumed was a he) into a small storage room by the bathrooms. She had then proceeded to hear sounds of someone/something being beat up. Sesshomaru had then walked calmly out, not a single hair ruffled on his perfect uniform.

Jaken was rather worse for the wear. He sported a black eye, several bruises, and a giant lump on his head that didn't look like it would go away anytime soon. His eyes remained downcast and he looked depressed.

While Kagome's doctor side felt significant sympathy for the poor little thing, her childish side wanted to burst out in laughter at how ridiculous Jaken looked. Jaken seemed to notice, as he glared at her indignantly and snorted. She almost giggled at the comical way that Jaken attempted to imitate Sesshomaru's aristocratic way of standing. Her smile faded almost immediately when Sesshomaru turned scorching eyes on her.

"This Sesshomaru will take further measures to investigate actions that have occurred in these five years. He will contact you when you are needed." He then stuck a hand out towards her face expectantly.

"What?"

"Your number is required," he said snobbishly.

Kagome could only gasp in amazement. When she spoke, her voice took on a dangerous tone, "Excuse me?"

Word Count: 214


	21. Too Close for Comfort

Chapter 21

"What?" Asked Inuyasha irritably as Kagome sighed again.

"It's nothing," she replied absentmindedly as she whacked him with her clipboard while adjusting the flowers on the table beside the hospital bed.

"Ow!"

"Oh, my god!" She exclaimed, finally snapping out of her daze, "I am so sorry, Inuyasha! Are you alright?"

"Don't work yourself up," Inuyasha sighed, rubbing the place where the clipboard hit. He froze when Kagome's warm hands settled themselves on his head, probing this way and that, causing goose bumps to rise on his arm. He flushed when he realized that she had a knee on the bed as well which was bumping his.

"Oh, good. At least it didn't hit your wound," Kagome smiled, lowering her face to look Inuyasha in the eye. Suddenly, she seemed to realize their proximity and pulled back abruptly, face scarlet. She quickly backed out of the room, only allowing herself a breath as she touched her hand to her pounding chest. "Oh," she breathed. She hadn't expected his eyes to be so beautiful.

"Oh," he breathed. She was even more lovely up close. Her lips seemed so close and soft and tender and he had just wanted to- He paused and shook his head as a bitter smile unveiled itself. She was a _doctor_, what was he thinking? Earns a lot, beautiful, young, she probably has a husband already, or at least a boyfriend. He had only seen her all of, what, ten times a week? He was probably just a little thing in the back of your head. _Besides_, he flicked his ears with a scowl, _as if anyone could love a hanyou. _

Word Count: 274

A/N: Sorry for slow updates! I've been busy with an adorable new puppy . She is the cutest thing ever! As always, review please! They make me very happy :D.


	22. Visitor

Chapter 22

Rin peeked from behind the absurdly tall reception desk to greet the tall man in a business suit that was leering down at her. "Hi!" She beamed. She couldn't help but take note of his exotic hair color-pristine silver. And those eyes!

The man looked taken aback and cleared his throat, but continued to stare impassively at her.

"Are you here to meet someone?" She tried.

"Hn."

Rin giggled. Raised in a family full to the seams with kids, she was a people expert. She was also very used to those adorable shy souls who put their loneliness behind masks. So what if she was a bit of an idealist? These people were her favorite to work with. "I see." She nodded sagely, and then smiled for real. "I think we can work something out."

Word Count: 135

A/N: Sigh. I thought summer would be so much more relaxing. Boy, was I wrong. Summer has been even busier so far! Sorry, working hard on updating quickly. Just got back from a 5 day convention and there's a with a 7 day cruise coming up, I'll see what I can do…


	23. Spying

Chapter 23

"What are you doing?"

"Shh!" Kagome shushed the person that startled her furiously only to backtrack. "Oh, Sango?"

"Really, what are you doing?" Sango was at a loss. After spending almost every waking minute with the irritable hanyou, Kagome started to avoid him recently, sending instead nurses to do check-ups and give him his medication. Now, she saw her friend crouching under the window of Inuyasha's door and peeking in. She gave a quick glance to the room. Inuyasha was sleeping, and no wonder, at 6 in the morning.

Kagome started twirling her thumbs. "Uh, I was, uh, just checking if his new medication worked."

"By spying on him?"

"Sh! You're too loud! You might wake-" Kagome stopped suddenly and blushed. "Inuyasha," She whispered.

"Well, well." Sango appraised her suddenly shy friend, "What happened? Did you tell him about Sesshomaru yet?"

Kagome flushed an even deeper red, "I, uh, didn't really get the chance….. I was interrupted…" Her voice trailed off into an almost tender look.

"Well, lover girl, you're going to tell me all about it in the office," replied Sango, dragging her friend down the hallway despite her futile struggles. She wasn't a black belt in karate for nothing.

Word Count: 201


	24. Surprise

Chapter 24

"You guys kissed?" Sango asked incredulously. "You don't even know him! You've talked to him for all of 2 three weeks! I approve of a crush, but kissing's going a bit too fast!"

"No!" Kagome's blush didn't fade at all during the whole ordeal. "I said, we were…um, really close, but we didn't kiss!"

"But really close?"

"Um," Kagome sank deeper into her seat, "kind of close?"

"Kind of close?" Sango repeated scandalously. "Do you know what the prevented monk would have done in the situation? He would have taken full advantage! Oh, Kagome, you're much too naïve! And-"

"Perverted monk?"

"Eh? Oh, I meant Miroku. You wouldn't believe how horrible he is! He is the worst kind of man on the face of this earth! Can you believe he tried to grope me? That absolute pervert!" Sango's voice rose as she ranted. She also started to add actions to her threats. "If he slimy little hand comes any closer to my butt, I swear, I'll strangle him and slap him and…"

Kagome took the chance to slowly sneak away. As Sango's voice became a distant echo behind her, Kagome couldn't help wondering where her calm, no-nonsense friend went.

Word Count: 200


	25. Lovestruck

Chapter 25

"And here is the cafeteria!" Rin spun around and proclaimed with a big grin.

"This Sesshomaru said that he would like to visit the room of Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said, feeling a headache coming on. He had been his cool stoic self at the reception desk and waited for the woman to do as he commanded after his "regal pause" that his mother told him to present every time he wanted something. It was supposed to intimidate the opponent and make them pay more attention. It usually worked, but with this woman—girl, really—it didn't! She had grinned mischievously and announced that she would give him a tour of the hospital to see if he could remember what he came here for. He had tried to compensate by heading over to the external injury section, but the girl had dragged him over here to the cafeteria, all the while blabbing about how food was a vital part of life and that they could go over there later and that… well, he couldn't remember the rest. In fact, this was probably the first time in his _life_ that someone had talked so much to him in one setting.

"Oh, oh, and let's not forget the coffee room! We have hot chocolate, espresso, hammerhead, black coffee, iced coffee, Irish coffee, Kopi Tubruk, Lungo, Mocha, Melya…"

Sesshomaru's elf-life ears spiked up in interest. "You," he interrupted hesitantly, forgetting all the rules of etiquette that had been instilled into him since birth. "You know what Melya coffee is?"

"A coffee mixed with 1 teaspoon of unsweetened powdered cocoa and drizzled honey. I usually drink it with cream," she answered promptly, "Why?"

Sesshomaru, for the first time, felt the blood rushing in his ears and the pounding of his heart acutely. This girl knew _coffee._

Word Count: 300

A/N: I am a coffee ignoramus; I cite all coffee info to  .com. As always, please review!


	26. Bedside Chat

Chapter 26

"Inuyasha, I think I'm in love." Miroku's voice sighed dreamily.

"Hm?" Inuyasha's eye cracked open and he rubbed it disorientingly. He had been sleeping quietly and dreaming. A good dream, with Kagome. Just the two of them, having a lovely picnic. And he put his head on her lap, and she leaned down to whisper something, and - Inuyasha sat up ramrod straight. Wait, _Miroku?_ What the hell was he doing here? "Miroku!"

"Ah," Miroku sighed again, oblivious to his friend's distress. "She is like a goddess, lovely and untouchable, beautiful and serene, voluptuous and sensual, smart and,"

"Aw, shut up Miroku. What the hell are you doing sitting on my hospital bed? Why aren't you in yours?" What really irked him more was that it was the same spot that Kagome had sat on the day before. He could still smell her scent.

"Why, my injury was always better than yours," he started.

"Liar," Inuyasha muttered, "you were the one that needed surgery."

"Well, I didn't go traipsing around the day after, demon regeneration or not. Oh, that's right," Miroku's face turned serious, "I came here to warn you, Inuyasha. When I was walking down the hall, fallowing a dear acquaintance of mine,"

"You mean, ogling somebody's butt?"

Miroku ignored the interruption, "I happened to see a man that both you and I knew very well right before I saw my gorgeous, invaluable, irreplaceable, feisty - "

"Get on with it already!"

"Eh? Oh yes. Inuyasha," he said grimly, "I saw your brother."

Word Count: 255


	27. Escape

Chapter 27

Kagome crept down the much too wide halls of the hospital, desperate to get at least one good look at Inuyasha today, even if it was only outside the window of his door.

After being so close to him _that_ day, Kagome found that she could not even _think_ about talking to him without turning a red that a steam engine would have been envious of. _Oh, blush, blush, blush, it's all I do nowadays,_ she lamented to herself, _because nowadays, all I think about is-_ Kagome refused to let herself finish that thought. _I'm only 23! Or, as Ayumi says, 23 already and still single. I'm not even done with medical school! But when it comes to him, my heart beats so fast, I am so happy, I, I lov-_

Now, while Kagome could have been on the edge of a groundbreaking epiphany, she was instead confronted by the sight of the last person she expected, Sesshomaru. She quickly hid behind the closest potted plant and prayed that he wouldn't see her. She heard his smooth voice murmuring lowly with an emotion that was strange on him, excitement. Then she heard the bright, happy answer of Rin.

_Wait, what?_

Word Count: 200

A/N: Yay! I'm back from vacation! More updates now ^^ thanks for sticking with me! As always, review!


	28. Flashback

Chapter 28

Kagome gulped. Sweet, gentle Rin with the dangerous Sesshomaru? That would be like leaving a lamb in the company of a wolf! She _had_ to do something. She started to get up and then stopped. She suddenly remembered how their last encounter had ended…

_**Flashback…..**_

"_Your number is required," he said snobbishly._

_Kagome could only gasp in amazement. When she spoke, her voice took on a dangerous tone, "Excuse me?" She locked her hands in fists and stood up slowly, "You _require_ my phone number? Look, you asked me here to help you! Now that I think about it, Inuyasha's life is none of your concern, brother or not!" By now, all the other customers were staring at them and whispering furiously. Kagome was only aware of the heat building in her cheeks and the red haze that was clouding her mind. "In fact, hanyou or not, Inuyasha is a better person than you'll ever be!"_

_There was a collective gasp in the room, then silence. A spoon dropped, clattering loudly on its way down; its resounding echo went unnoticed in the wake of the impasse between Kagome and Sesshomaru. Everyone knew of the terrible scandal occurred with the famous Inutaisho and the common woman. Hanyous were always a tender subject when it came to the whole family, especially since the death of the great actor, who left in his will that Sesshomaru was never to harm Inuyasha._

_Sesshomaru growled ferally, making half the customers jump in fright. _

Oh dear,_ though Sango, _this is going to get ugly.

Word Count: 258

A/N: More about Inutaisho later ^^, the flashback will also be extended for at least one more chapter. Please review! Thank you!


	29. Flashback II: Walk Away

Chapter 29

_Sesshomaru took a step back and visibly calmed himself down. The red tinge in his eyes disappeared into liquid gold and his breathing slowed to what is normal for a youkai- which was almost undetectably slow. _

_ Kagome kept her head high and refused to budge. Sesshomaru moved closer to her, taking slow, graceful strides. _

_ "My lord!" Jaken squeaked, though it went unnoticed._

_ He almost passed right by her, stopping exactly when their shouldered were parallel. "I will not kill you for this offence because of the service you have done me. Know that your insult would have earned you a long and tortured death if not for my graciousness," His breath was feather-light on Kagome's ears and she found that she had to strain to hear him. Her eyes shot to his when he said 'killed' though she kept her head where it was, determined to preserve her pride. "We will meet again. Make sure that it is not anytime soon. My patience runs thin, human." He then walked outside without a second glance._

Word Count: 174


	30. Dropped

Chapter 30

Kagome winced as she remembered what she had done after Sesshomaru left. Her rush of adrenaline had burned off, leaving her weak-kneed and suddenly very aware of what the powerful youkai could have done to her. Sango had dragged her outside after slapping a few bills onto the table. Sango also drove the dazed Kagome home, not trusting her to get home safely. A good thing it was too, because Kagome snapped out of her daze half way to her house, shrieking, "Can you believe what I did?" to a very exasperated Sango, who had been spending the whole time trying to make _her_ believe.

Kagome sighed now and watched the retreating shadow of the pair vanish as they rounded a corner. Her head snapped back up when she noticed that Sesshomaru had dropped something. After a breathless moment, she decided that the couple was long gone and tip toed out to look at the object, which turned out to be a business card. It read '_Taisho Sesshomaru, manager," _in an elegant cursive. Kagome frowned at all the wasted empty space on the sides of the card.

_Wait…_ She thought, biting her lip, _don't youkai have that renowned gracefulness? Never drops anything? And don't they have such wonderful hearing that they can tell even when a little piece of paper like this falls? Why didn't he come back and pick it up? _Kagome turned the card around and gasped.

In impeccably neat handwriting and red ink, there was her name and phone number.

_Wha? Why would he…? _Suddenly, something clicked in her head. _Oh, shoot._ Sesshomaru with his youkai grace would have never dropped something…unless it was on purpose. However…Sesshomaru with youkai smelling would have_ definitely_ smelled her.

Word Count: 288

A/N: Ah, this chapter was ready yesterday, but was acting weird...sigh...


	31. Strategy

Chapter 31

"Oh, damn. Sesshomaru's here? You sure?"

"Well, if there's anyone else that you know with silver hair, golden eyes, youkai ears, and a dominating presence, let me know."

"Shoot, shoot, shoot. How the hell did he find me? Sesshomaru who never reads newspapers or watches TV hasn't found me so far. Heck, he still thinks that the Internet is 'beneath him.' I dunno how his mom got him to finally get a phone."

Miroku chuckled. "You're right about that, my friend. Your brother doesn't take full advantage of the resources that he has."

"Half-brother," Inuyasha reminded, "Besides, knowing you, you're probably thinking of online porn."

"You wound me!"

"Whatever, what are we gonna do?"

"Well, run away!" It had been their fighting strategy for years.

Inuyasha tightened his grip on his bed sheet, making small holes where his sharp claws were. "No, I can't leave her here with Sesshomaru about."

"Her?"

Inuyasha blushed, a novelty for Miroku. "Uh, she's my nurse…she, she probably has my scent on her. I don't want an innocent to get in trouble. That's the only reason!"

"Oh, really?" Miroku wagged an eyebrow suggestively and grinned. _So even someone like Inuyasha can fall for someone new._

Word Count: 200


	32. Off

Chapter 32

"Fine. So, what _are _we going to do if we can't ditch? Hide?"

"We won't last a second against his nose. 'Sides, I never said we can't ditch," Inuyasha scowled, "we just have to take her along when we do run. I ain't leaving her here with that –"

"Fine, fine," Miroku interrupted before Inuyasha could start on one of his tirades about his brother. Inuyasha knew so many curse words that it was amazing; even as….well-traveled….as he was, he learned many interesting words from Inuyasha. "Well," Miroku grunted as he leapt off the bed, "let's go find her then."

Word Count: 100


	33. Proposal

Chapter 33

"…and this is where we store the coffee beans," Rin smiled at the man who seemed so interested in her favorite hobby: coffee.

"I see," he murmured, "so they are even self-grind?"

Rin beamed, "Oh, yes. I grind all of them myself."

The man's eye's snapped to her face, "_All_ of them?"

"Yep! I do it in my free time and….eh? What are you doing?"

Forgetting entirely the purpose that he came here for, Sesshomaru got down on one knee and looked deeply into Rin's chocolate eyes, "Rin. Would you," Sesshomaru wetted his lips, suddenly realizing how much her answer would mean to him, "Would you please come work for me?"

Word Count: 111


	34. Idle Talk

Chapter 34

"Me?" Rin squeaked, blushing.

"Please." Sesshomaru said, aware that he was groveling.

"W-well…"

"You shall receive the same amount of pay as me."

"E-eh? No, that's fine. It's just that…"

"What?"

"I'd hate to leave the hospital on such short notice… They have been so kind to me and gave me a job when I needed it…"

"They will receive the proper reimbursement." He promised.

"Well," Rin smiled, "Then I suppose there's no reason not to."

Just then, Sesshomaru smelled the scent of his annoying half-brother and his equally annoying friend. He grimaced. "I apologize, but I have some unpleasant business to attend to."

Word Count: 104

A/N: Sorry for the late update, but my laptop died. Sigh. I'll have to borrow computers of other people in my family so updates will be slow for a while. .


	35. Sidetracked

Chapter 35

"Ugh, Kagome…" muttered Sango, "How could you just leave me there?" Sango had ranted for at least another ten minutes before she finally noticed the people staring and the absence of her intended audience. _I am going to have to tease her for the next ten years about Inuyasha as revenge…Ow!_

Sango looked up irritably, scowl ready, at the person who so rudely bumped into her. Her irritation quickly morphed into anger as she felt the hand that was caressing her lower extremities and saw the glittering violet eyes that came with it.

"Ah, my dearest Sango, how nice it is of you to come and-"

"PERVERT!" Her slaps left red prints on both his cheeks. She huffed and rubbed her own stinging hands on her coat. "Geez." She grumbled as she felt sympathy stir up inside her at seeing him on the floor in a helpless hump. _Whatever, he should learn to keep his hands to himself._

"Er, sorry to interrupt, but we're kind of in a hurry here and this idiot gropes every attractive woman he sees, try to take it as a compliment."

"Eh?" Sango looked up in surprise; she hadn't known anyone else was watching. She stared into amber eyes and felt something connect in her brain at the dog ears. "Oh, you're Kagome's Inuyasha."

"Yeah…hey, what?" He blushed like a little kid, furiously and aggressively. "I—she-we-that is… I don't belong to nobody 'cept myself. Who the heck are you anyways?"

She giggled as Kagome's crush floundered for words and secretly approved of Kagome's choice. "I'm just a friend of hers. Wait…" She suddenly turned suspicious, "you know this pervert?"

"I am merely an appreciator of finer things—" was all Miroku's glib tongue managed before Sango kicked him aside again.

"Ye-eah," Inuyasha asserted, looked over at his downed friend nervously.

Sango cracked her knuckles together and frowned menacingly, "Bird of a feather fly together and there is no way I am letting a pervert be with Kagome."

Word Count: 336

A/N: A longer chapter this time ^^. Reviews are, as always, much appreciated!


	36. Abandoned

Chapter 36

"Gah! Where is everyone?" Kagome grumbled to the empty hall, only to shiver when her own voice echoed over and over. While trying to avoid Sesshomaru and find Inuyasha, Kagome had somehow ended up in the abandoned wing of the hospital. Last summer, the wing had been evacuated for a remodeling and expansion. However, half way through the project, the administrators of the hospital got into a dispute with the construction workers over some insignificant details. The project was abandoned and never again taken up. In any case, no one came here now except the occasional runaway cat or dog.

"Ugh," She groaned, "I thought the entrance to this wing was sealed off! How did I get here?" Kagome sighed gustily but kept walking and taking random turns, hoping that she would find a way out….eventually…

Kagome noticed acutely the second when the alabaster walls that surrounded the halls of the rest of the hospital turned into a skeletal wood structure that allowed the sunlight to filter in. She sighed again; at least they had finished installing the tiled floor. She walked some more before she noticed a ramp at the end of one of the adjacent halls. She was half certain that it would be a cul-de-sac, but she reasoned that going down to floor level would at least be a start.

Half way down the ramp, she sat down hard, suddenly aware of how tired and lonely she was. The ramp swayed, but nothing else moved. While wiping a stray tear from her eye, she silently wished for silver-hair, amber eyes, and puppy ears. Kagome didn't even see the beam, dislodged by moving ramp, that crashed down behind her. The beam struck the back of her head and she blacked out instantly.

Word Count: 294


	37. Blood

Chapter 37

Inuyasha was in the middle of desperately trying to explain to a (crazy) woman that he wasn't a pervert when he froze.

"Well?! Why else would you travel together if you guys don't have the same hobby!?"

Inuyasha ignored her screams as he started running as fast as he could with only one coherent thought in his dizzy head: Kagome…..and the scent of her blood. _Why would anybody want to hurt her? She was so kind and sweet and wonderful and-_ His breath caught, if anything was wrong with her, he'd tear the one who did it to her apart.

Word Count: 100

A/N: Expect at least one more chapter today, suddenly, my inspiration is overflowing. Think of it as a reward for going so long without any updates :P. Please review , thank you!


	38. Infatuation

Chapter 38

Sesshomaru was on the trail of his foolish half-brother when he smelled the blood of the woman that had challenged him so stupidly. Oh well; it was no concern of his. He sniffed again. Interesting; his half-brother was heading in that direction and his scent was mingled with fear and anger.

He raised an eyebrow at that. His half-brother was many things, but cowardly wasn't one of them, though he'd never admit it out loud. There was something else in his scent too. It was like that of his father with the human woman. _Infatuation,_ Sesshomaru realized with a smirk.

Word Count: 100


	39. Fragile

Chapter 39

Sesshomaru had reached the woman first, even though his half-brother had a head start. Not that it was a surprise when his brother was merely hanyou and him a fill-blooded youkai.

Sesshomaru glanced at the woman disdainfully; humans were so stupidly fragile and useless. _Which is why I shall never repeat the mistakes of father or Inuyasha, falling in love with a human? Ridiculous!_ And yet, even as he condemned his male brethren, he couldn't help but be reminded of the only human so far that he could tolerate. Enjoy the company of, even.

_What was her name again? _

But even as Sesshomaru mused, a furious Inuyasha stormed down the hall, eyes tinged red. He growled deeply, seeing his cruel half-brother next to the broken form of Kagome and jumping to the only conclusion that he could. His nostril inhaled the scent of Kagome's blood and his brother, and his breath caught in a snarl. "Die, Sesshomaru!" He screamed as he leapt for his half-brother's throat.

Sesshomaru rolled his eye. _This is going to take a while._

Word Count: 177

A/N: Ah! Sorry I took so long for this! My gosh, but everything's getting so complicated with the new school year starting soon! Thanks for sticking with me Review review review to make me happy! Honestly, if you really don't have the time, a few words or a smiley face would still mean a lot to me. But anyway, thanks for reading!


	40. Doubt

Chapter 40

"Sheesh," Sango mumbled while racing behind Inuyasha, who was already so much in the lead that she couldn't even see his shadow, "What in the world is wrong with that idiot?"

"My dear lady, I have no idea, but I would like to comment that you have excellent tracking skills." Miroku replied glibly.

"Kiss-up," Sango grunted, though her cheeks turned slightly redder.

"No," Miroku took an extra step so he was on par with Sango, who had been leading the way up until then. "Truly, I have had many years of experience in catching up to Inuyasha, and still, as you can see, I am no match for him. He is extremely agile, and even faster when he runs with a purpose."

Sango shot him a sideways glance, "It's because he's hanyou, right?"

"Y-yes," Miroku answered hesitantly, "I've noticed that both you and Kagome-san are very… lenient towards hanyou, unlike many others. I do hope that you aren't putting on an act, like some others that we've met…."

Sango stopped abruptly and turned around, causing Miroku to halt as well. "Don't put Kagome on the same level as those other lowlifes," Sango growled fiercely, "Kagome doesn't have a mean bone in her. She would never _pretend_ to like someone." Almost as an afterthought, Sango frowned and added, "Of course, neither would I."

Miroku's smile was tinged with relief at Sango's straight forwardness. "Thank you, Sango." He said quietly.

Word Count: 238

A/N: Ugh! So. Much. Stuff. To. Do! I feel like I haven't updated this in forever! Sigh, don't worry though, I would never give up on this story :p. Review please and thanks for reading!


	41. Brief Fight

Chapter 41

Sesshomaru deftly dodged a leap from Inuyasha, whose claws were outstretched and eyes were a bloody red.

Inuyasha screamed inhumanly and charged Sesshomaru again, which Sesshomaru dodged with the same ease. "Foolish Inuyasha," He called with only the barest inflection, "Is this how you greet kin? Father's concubine should have taught you better." It was an obvious jab, but Inuyasha fell for it nonetheless. The mere mention of his mother brought a tinge of amber back into his eyes.

"Don't talk about her!" Inuyasha snarled, "You have no right."

"She was human. She was nothing."

"Shut up!" Inuyasha's eyes started to turn back into the demon slits.

"You are the one that should be quiet. How stupid. You little pet human isn't even died yet, but she will soon be if you keep your idiocy up."

Inuyasha, who was preparing for another attack, suddenly faltered. "Huh? Not...died?" He repeated disbelievingly, swinging his head back to look at Kagome.

Sesshomaru took the opportunity to strike a blow to the back of Inuyasha's neck that knocked him out instantly. "Hn." He grunted, "Mission complete."

Word Count: 182


	42. One Step Late

Chapter 42

"Oh dear," Sango gasped, reaching the scene. She immediately pulled out her phone and sent their location to the emergency team. Unlike many of her fellow doctors, Sango had memorized the layout of the hospital like everyone was supposed to do but no one actually did. She laid a hand on Kagome's cheek, and gently lifted her hair to examine the wound. Like all head wounds, it bled a lot. The beam had only struck a superficial vein, it wasn't that important but still bled normally. Still, without correct treatment, Kagome could easily die from blood loss. Sango moved the beam aside first, then dug around in her pocket for a wrap of gauze which she carefully but hurriedly applied to Kagome. Finally, she allowed herself a sigh of relief and turned to look at what Miroku was doing while waiting for the emergency staff to arrive.

"Dammit, he got here ahead of us," Miroku growled, leaving Sango to look at the normally calm man curiously.

"Inuyasha? Well, you did say so yourself that he's faster than us."

"No, no." Miroku pounded a fist onto the floor, "His elder half-brother. Sesshomaru. He is youkai, ruthless, and powerful. I can still feel his demonic energy resonating around here." Seeing Sango's skeptical look, he quickly added, "That is because I am descended from a long line of prestigious monks."

"Oh?"

"Sango! Your doubt wounds me!"

"Oh, it can do a lot more than that if you come any closer. Hm, if Sesshomaru has been here, does that mean Inuyasha went with him?"

Miroku gaped at Sango, "Went with him? Willingly? Inuyasha would sooner die."

The last word rang in the room ominously.

"Well," Sango started awkwardly, not knowing what to say but not wanting to let their conversation end on the topic of death of a close friend. "What do we do now?"

Miroku grimaced, "We have a _very_ unpleasant visit to make." He gulped then sighed, "It was a favor that I really never wanted to collect on, but I suspect that if I didn't visit her soon anyways, she'd kidnap me to her place herself. That's how bored and meddlesome she is."

"Who?" Sango asked in fascination (mostly that Miroku would actually be unwilling to go visit a woman in the comfort of her own home. Maybe there was hope for him after all…).

"Saiga Kouri." He said grimly, "Sesshomaru's mother."

Word Count: 401

A/N: A bit longer this time :p. I don't think Takahashi-sensei ever names Sesshomaru's mom, so I named her after the Japanese word for ice. Thanks for reading .


	43. Entrance

Chapter 43

A beautiful silvered haired woman swept forward to greet them. She was in every way Sesshomaru's mother. She had magenta markings on her cheeks as well, though they were small thunderbolts. The crescent on her brow marked her as one of the most prestigious dog youkai around. She had on an elaborate kimono that was covered in intricate drawing of birds and flowers. The fluffy pelt was only further proof. The second her lips opened though, Sango started having doubts.

"Little monk!" She greeted with a smirk, "How sweet of you to visit! I thought that you would never come to visit me. Why, as bored as I was, I might have been almost ready to go call on _you!_"

Miroku forced a laugh while shooting Sango a sideways glance which said, _See what I mean?_

"Oh, and who might this be?"

"Oh, um, my name is Sango." Sango answered nervously, tugging on the edge of her own T-shirt.

"Well, well," Sesshomaru's mother chuckled, eyes twinkling, "Little monk, have you finally found a woman that would stay with you?"

Sango blushed while Miroku grinned cockily, "Well, not yet, milady, but soon, I hope."

"Oh, what a rude hostess I am! By all means, come in!" She waved to the giant doors of her mansion, which looked decidedly out of place in the middle of the city with its old Japanese design. Sensing their hesitation, the lady pouted playfully, then smiled invitingly, revealing sharp and ridiculously white canines, "Please, come. I have been _dying _of boredom lately. In fact, I insist."

Sango and Miroku both gulped and looked at each other.

"Well," Miroku sighed, "There isn't much choice, is there?"

"There's always a choice," Sesshomaru's mom smiled gently, though it quickly turned into a comfortable smirk as she started examining her nails, "But then again, I suspect you have come to collect on that little favor. I don't do things in the wrong setting. Ever."

Miroku's face took on a determined look, "I will come, but," he glanced at Sango, "if my companion decides not to, then I would not hold it against her."

"I would never leave you alone!" Sango retorted hotly.

Miroku smiled and reached out to clasp her hand, "Thanks." He whispered.

"Well, that's just wonderful!" The Lady of the west exclaimed, "The more the merrier. Now just come on in. We have a_ lot_ to talk about."

Word Count: 400

A/N: Not much to say. School. Life. Yeah…. A review would really encourage me though . Thanks for reading.


	44. Pity

Chapter 44

Sesshomaru sat calmly down onto the soft sofa, completely hiding how close he was to clobbering the uselessly vocal thing in front of him.

"Ah, Sesshomaru-sama!" It squeaked, "How brilliant it is of you to think up such a scheme to lure that stupid Inuyasha over! And how glorious you are! To do such a thing as if it was simple! Of course, nothing isn't simple for the great and fearless Sesshomaru-sama!"

"Do shut up, Jaken."

The retainer closed his mouth promptly and squirmed under the scornful gaze of his lord.

Sesshomaru gave Jaken one more cold glare before turning to face his half-brother, who was currently out cold and tied securely on his wrists and feet with sturdy rope. He allowed himself a small half-smile. Finally, after the long five years, Inuyasha was finally within his grasp.

He chuckled, making Jaken gulp loudly and step away quickly. Personally, Jaken had nothing against the miserable hanyou, well, other than his parentage. And his bad attitude. And his disrespect with Sesshomaru-sama. And—Well, maybe Jaken did have a _few_ things against him. _Still, _Jaken thought pityingly, _I feel sorry for the poor mongrel. Facing an angry Sesshomaru was bad enough, but honestly? A happy Sesshomaru was the scariest._

Word Count: 207

A/N: Sorry I can only squeeze out this tiny update after what seems like _forever_. Please review and thanks for reading! I'll see if I can start making my chapters a _little_ bit longer, it really doesn't seem fair to have you guys wait so long and only receive such a small snippet… Oh well, we'll see :/…..


	45. Awakening

Chapter 45

Kagome opened her eyes slowly as she awakened, mindful of the dull ache in the back of her head. Bright lights and white walls greeted her. In her half dream-like state, she idly wondered if this was what all of her patients opened their eyes to.

"Kagome-sempai!" A chirpy voice enthused, shaking her out of her reverie.

"A-Ayumi-san?" Kagome blinked as Ayumi's head loomed over her.

"It's okay, sempai," She assured, "You're perfectly fine. Just a teensy bit of blood loss, but you're recovering just fine."

"I—" Kagome raised a hand to gently assess her gauzed head and then moved herself slowly to an upright position. "What happened?" But before Ayumi could answer, she frowned and murmured to herself, "I remember avoiding Sesshomaru…and ending up in the abandoned wing…and…."

Ayumi nodded encouragingly. "Go on."

"Wait," Kagome frowned pensively, "Ayumi-san, do you know where Inuyasha is?"

She blinked rapidly. "Who?"

"Inuyasha? Silver hair, hanyou, puppy ears…"

"Oh him!" Ayumi clapped her hand to her forehead, "He was discharged this morning by his brother."

"This morning?" Kagome asked with a strangled voice. "How long was I out for?"

"Just a day…Wait, where are you going? You shouldn't move yet!"

Kagome shook off Ayumi's restraining hand and said grimly, "I'm afraid that a day was too much already. I know that it isn't procedure, but I need to do this, Ayumi."

"Eh? I don't know…"

Kagome took advantage of the brief moment that Ayumi's hesitation cost her and raced out of the room, heart pounding and furiously praying.

_Oh, Inuyasha. Please be alright._

Word Count: 261

A/N: I didn't even know that you could have writer's block with drabbles -_-, guess you can…


	46. Waiting

Chapter 46

Kouri sipped her cup of tea calmly and Sango could've sworn that she was doing it slowly on purpose.

The "meeting room" was a grand, elegant hallway that resembled the court of the old, European castles and yet seemed to fit in the Japanese-styled mansion. There were paintings all over the ceiling too, but instead of smiling, naked cherubs, there were dogs.

No, that wasn't right. They were dog youkai, things of legends, big and ferocious, white, brown, golden. Teeth bared. Claws outstretched. Eyes gleamed. The ceiling depicted battles mostly, with the occasional portrait of a whole pack of them roaming the sky. Sango had to tear her eyes away from the paintings, afraid that she would seem rude.

She immediately regretted looking back down. The Lady was still sipping her tea and Miroku was looking down at his lap, no doubt thinking of how to phrase his request. She noticed that Miroku had changed clothes sometime without her realizing. He now wore the traditional cloaks of a monk, though she doubted that they had purple shrouds back in the day. He was also holding a staff with three little rings in the big ring on top. Sango blinked abruptly; how had she missed that?

The strange combination of clothing looked confortable on him, familiar, even. Sango almost laughed at that. Growing up as a child of parents who were both rooted in the military, she had basically no exposure to religion. Five—hundred year old Shintoism was out of the question, and yet…

Sango looked at her own T-shirt and jeans in disgust. It was ridiculously out of place in the serene, formal hall. She shot a glare at Miroku. He could've at least warned her to dress appropriately! Then again, Sango had to admit to herself that she had no idea what would be considered appropriate in this kind of setting. She had a feeling that her slick, modern dresses and home would have been equally out of place here. Sango closed her eyes to try and imagine the kind of outfit that would fit in here to no avail.

She only managed to conjure up a weird bodysuit/armor that was skintight, black and pink with armor plates where her joints were. It was a strangely vivid image, but Sango dismissed the idea quickly.

"Milady." Miroku cleared his throat, "Perhaps it is time for our negotiations to begin."

Word Count: 400


	47. Predicament

Chapter 47

"Ugh," Inuyasha's eyed opened slowly as his mind slowly started up again. _Where the hell am I? Wait, lemme think…Hospital, Miroku, Kagome's weird friend, Kagome's blood, Kagome…Sesshomaru!_

"Well, Inuyasha. It appears that you have awakened." A cold monotone sounded from somewhere above him.

"Shut up! Where am I?!" Inuyasha tried to swipe at his brother and found that his hands were bound behind his back by a strong rope. He became acutely aware of the cold tiled floor that he was lying on. _Typical Sesshomaru, _he grumbled internally, _He could've at least left me on carpet!_

"Be quiet, insolent hanyou!" An ugly little green thing who was next to Sesshomaru that wore an ill-fitting black suit squeaked while waving around a weird staff with two heads on top. Though Inuyasha could only see the polished shoes of his brother, he could see the whole body tiny green thing.

"Well, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha sniggered, "I didn't know your tastes ran to short male toad youkai."

Though Inuyasha couldn't see, Sesshomaru's eyebrow twitched violently. He chose to ignore his half-brother's disgusting suggestion while instead standing up. The soles of his shoes made little clicking sounds on the hard floor. "Well, hanyou. No doubt you are wondering why I invited you here." He said smoothly.

"Invited? Man, I always knew you sucked as a host, but I never thought you were this bad." Inuyasha's voice hardened, "If you want to kill me, then do it the way real men do: in a fight!"

Sesshomaru's lips curled in a smirk. "'Real men?'" He repeated mockingly, "Hardly! After all, neither of us are 'men'. Fight you? It would be hardly a fight, more like a slaughter. After all, you are only a weak hanyou. You wouldn't stand a chance again me, a full-blooded youkai." Sesshomaru watched Inuyasha struggle furiously against his bounds, trying to get free. "And as for killing you? Well, where would the fun be in that?" He smiled again, showing his pearly white and scarily sharp canines and making Jaken cower, "I have far better things planned."

Word Count: 345


End file.
